1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a test slide strip containing a plurality of test slides for quantitative analysis of a component of fluid samples and adapted for dispensation of the test slides one by one.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to carry out quantitative chemical analysis of fluid samples such as blood a test slide carrying thereon dry reagents is used. The dry reagents are apt to absorb humidity in the atmosphere. Therefore, the test slide should be sealed tight until it is used. Further, it is preferred that the test slides be dispensed one by one in order, especially when the chemical analysis is automatically carried out.
In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,142,863, there is disclosed an article container for dispensing reagent slides. The container includes a generally rectangular casing having a rear wall, a front wall, a pair of side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall. A plurality of reagent slides are stacked on a movable member in the casing. The bottom wall is provided with an opening through which a spring-loaded plunger extends to push the movable member upward so that the uppermost reagent slide in the stack is always pushed against the lower surface of the top wall. The front and rear walls are provided with a slot near the upper edge thereof. A push blade is inserted through the slot in the rear wall to push out the uppermost reagent slide through the slot in the front wall. The container is separated from the spring-loaded plunger when transported or stored. Therefore, the movable member is provided with ratchet pawls which engage with ratchet teeth formed on the inner surface of the casing. The ratchet pawls permit the movable member to be pushed upward by the springloaded plunger, but inhibit downward movement of the movable member when the spring-loaded plunger is removed. In the container, the reagent slides remaining therein are thus prevented from becoming jumbled when the container is removed from the spring-loaded plunger and transported.
The container of the prior art is disadvantageous in that it is costly since its structure is complicated.
Another disadvantage of the container is that the reagent slides are scratched on the ratchet teeth when the slides move upward, with the danger that the reagent on the slide might be contaminated with plastic material scraped off from the periphery of the slide.
Further, since the container does not provide a tight seal for the reagent on the slide, there is the possibility that the reagent may absorb humidity in the atmosphere.
Further, the number of test slides which can be contained in the container is limited since said spring-loaded plunger has to be able to push upward the stack of the test slides either when the container is fully loaded with the test slides or when only one test slide remains in the container.